GreekChat.com Forums - Bodybuilder Craig Titus arrested

For those of you who don't know him, he was Vince Neil's trainer in that VH-1 special about remaking Vince Neil. Craig is also an ex neighbor from where I grew up... he and his family lived a couple houses down from me. Just thought I'd post this if there were any bodybuilding fans.

http://thenewsherald.com/stories/122...51228004.shtml

One-time resident is suspect in slaying

Former Mr. USA, wife arrested after body found

By Jennifer Mitchell, The News-Herald

PUBLISHED: December 28, 2005

STOUGHTON, MASS. — A Riverview Community High School graduate and former Mr. USA was arrested here as a fugitive Friday, along with his wife, in the slaying of a 28-year-old Las Vegas woman.

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Federal agents and local police arrested Craig Titus, 40, and Kelly Ryan, 33, in a Stoughton grocery store parking lot after the body of Melissa James was found Dec. 14 in Ryan's burned-out red 2003 Jaguar in a remote spot southwest of Las Vegas.

Born in Wyandotte and raised in Riverview, Titus has participated in many bodybuilding competitions, including Mr. Olympia, Ironman and USA Championships.

The longtime former Riverview resident was a member of his high school wrestling and rowing teams, and also was a Michigan High School Athletic Association wrestling champion. He and his wife are expected to be sent back to Las Vegas next week.

Both were being held Friday on a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on a warrant issued Dec. 20 in Las Vegas. Titus was wanted on state murder charges, and Ryan was sought as an accessory to murder.

Titus and Ryan also are charged with third-degree arson.

Court records show that Titus told Las Vegas police that he'd had a secret romance with the dead woman, Melissa James, who was a live-in personal assistant to Titus and his wife.

In an interview with police before they disappeared, neither Titus nor Ryan admitted any involvement in James' slaying.

The couple told detectives that James had been fired and evicted Dec. 13 because they believed she had been embezzling from them, and that they suspected James stole Ryan's car.

Police said neither Titus nor Ryan had previously reported the alleged embezzling or the missing vehicle.

James' charred body was discovered Dec. 14 with white fabric around her neck and duct tape across her face.

A suitcase was found in the back seat, along with the burned remains of a barbecue tool set.

The Clark County coroner determined that James probably was asphyxiated, police said.

Titus told a detective that his wife was not aware of his affair with James. He told police he booked a hotel room Dec. 12 for two nights and spent most of one night there with James.

On Dec. 14, Amanda Polk, a bodybuilder who trained with Ryan, told police that Ryan told her she'd found James dead of a drug overdose and that she thought Titus had someone get rid of the body.

Credit card receipts and security videotapes show that Ryan bought seven half-gallon bottles of charcoal starter fluid and a barbecue tool set at a Wal-Mart store in Las Vegas at about 3:30 a.m. Dec. 14. The videotape shows her and a man putting the items in the back seat of a midsize car similar to a Jaguar.

Police also arrested 23-year-old Anthony Gross last Wednesday. He is charged with accessory to murder and third-degree arson.

Phone records show that Titus called Gross early Dec. 14, police said. Gross told investigators he met Titus, who drove the red Jaguar while Gross bought a can of gasoline and followed in his pickup to a remote area off state Highway 160.

Gross told police Titus took the gas can, disappeared, and then came back and jumped in the pickup. Gross said he drove back to Las Vegas, but the two never discussed what had happened.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.